Refrigerating apparatus



Nov.16, 1937. R; R. CANDOR 20558 'REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Original FiledNov. 29, 1930 Sheets-Sheet 1 5.9 F v A:

4 7 lN-VENTOR 5 I ATTORNEYS Nov..16, 1937. R. R. CANDOR REFRIGERATINGAPPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 29, 1930 ATTORN EYSReissued Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEFRIGEBATINGAPPARATUS now a. candor, Dayton, Ohio, assignor, by

meme assignments, to General Motors Corpo- I ration, a corporation ofDelaware Original No. means, dated February 28, 193:,

Serial No. 499,040, November 29, 1930. Application for reissue February14 Claims.

controlled by the "one desiring to drink for seinvention will beapparent from the following de'-' scription, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of th present inventionis clearly shown.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a drinking water coolerembodying one form of my invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of adrinking water cooler embodying another form of my invention. Fig. 3 isa sectional view ofv a drinking water cooler embodying a further form ofmy invention. 7

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. i, there isshowna drinking water cooler cabinet 2. which is supplied with watersuitable for drinking purposes from an outside source through theconduit 2| and through a pressure reducing valve 22 which automaticallylimits the pressure of the water in the cooler to provide the properheight of discharge at the bubbler hereinafter described regardless ofthe 40 pressure in the source 2|. A pair of water reservoirs or tanks 23and 24 arepositioned within the cabinet and connected to the pressurereducing valve 22 by the conduit 25. These reservoirs are provided withsuitable vents 59 for providing for the escape of trapped air when thereservoirs are being fllled. The upper portion of the cabinet 2| isfilled with suitable insulation 58 which surrounds the reservoirs 23 and24 and connecting conduits.

In accordance with the present invention,

as, 1935, Serial No.

means are provided for cooling the water in the reservoirs 23 and 24 todifferent temperatures. To this end a refrigerating system is positionedpreferably in the lower part of the cabinet 20.

In Fig. 1 for illustrative purposes there is shown diagrammatically arefrigerating system of the compressor-condenser-expander type includinga compressor 3| for compressing the refrigerant, preferably sulphurdioxide, and for' forwarding it to the condenser 32- where it isliquefied and collected in the receiver 33. A supply conduit 36 suppliesliquid refrigerant to a float chamber 31 positioned within the reservoir23 where the liquid refrigerant vaporizes because of the absorption ofheat and is returned from the compressor through the return conduit 38.The actuating means for the compressor preferably comprises a motor 34connected by pulley and belt means 35 to the compressor. A pressureresponsive switch means 39 'is preferably connected to the returnconduit 38 for controlling the motor 34 to provide alternating operatingand idle periods of the compressor according to the pressure andconsequently the temperature of the float chamber 31. The water in thereservoir 34 is-- cooled by a cooling member 4| which is supplied withliquid refrigerant from the float chamber 31 through the conduit 42 pastthe valve 43 and through the conduit 44. The valve 43 is controlled by athermostatic bulb 45 positioned in the water reservoir 24. The openingof the valve the'top oi the cooling'member 4| and forces liquidrefrigerant out of the cooling member 4| through the conduit 46connected'to the bottom thereof. This conduit 46 conducts liquidrefrigerant to a reservoir 41 preferably positioned above the level ofliquid refrigerant within the float chamber 41. A conduit 48 isconnected to .the float chamber 31.

the top of the reservoir 41 to conduct displaced gaseous refrigerantthrough a conduit 49 into By means of this system which includes theconduits 42, 44, 4G, 48, 49 and 50 as well as the valve 43, the coolingmemher 4 I, the reservoir 41 and the thermostatic bulb 45, thetemperature of the water within the reservoir 24 may be regulated. I

The valve is opened and closed at proper times so that only the properamount of liquid refrigerant is kept within the cooling member 4| tokeep the water in the reservoir at the temperature to which thethermostatic bulb 45 is set. According to the present invention, thethermo-. static bulb 45 is set to cool the water in the reservoir 24 alesser amount, that is to maintain a higher temperature than that of thewater in the reservoir 23, the temperature of which is controlled bypressure responsive switch means 39.

Conduits 5I and 52 are connected to the bottom of each of the waterreservoirs'23 and 24 and conduct the cooled water to a combined controland mixing valve 53 which both turns off and on the water as well asvaries the ratio between the amount of water from each of the waterreservoirs 23 and 24 through the conduit 54 to the bubbler or fountain55. By properly manipulating the operating handle 55 of the mixing valve53, any desired ratio of water from the reservoirs 23 and 24 may beobtained in order to obtain the desired temperature of water in thefountain or bubbler 55 while the valve 22 limits the pressure at thebubbler 55 to provide the proper height of discharge from the bubbler55. The cabinet 20 is provided with a catch basin 51 to catch the water,discharged from the fountain 55. l

' In Fig. 2 there is shown another embodiment of the invention whichincludes a drinking water cooler cabinet provided with a fountain orbubbler BI and a catch basin 52. Situated within the upper portionof thewater cooler are a pair of water reservoirs 53 and 54 which are suppliedwith water suitable for drinking purposes through the conduit 55 whichconnects the reservoirs to a suitable source of supply. These reservoirs53 and 64 are provided with suitable vents 65 and 55 for permitting theescape of air when the reservoir is being filled. The reservoirs 63 and54 respectively are cooled by cooling units 61 and 58 which are suppliedwith liquid refrigerant through the conduit 59 and the conduit I0 from arefrigerating system, preferably similar to that previously described,which, as before, is pref- L erably situated in the lower part of thecabinet of the drinking water cooler 60. The gaseous refrigerant iswithdrawn from the cooling units 51 and 68 through the conduit I I Thewater within the reservoir 64 is cooled to a lesser degree than thewater within the reservoir 63 since the valve I2, which is controlledand operated by the thert, mostatic bulb I3 positioned within thereservoir handle II for controlling the ratio of the amount of waterwhich is taken from each of the conduitsli and 16. The mixing valve inthis embodiment is connected by a conduit 19 to a combined automaticpressure and flow control valve which controls the flow and pressure ofwater through'a conduit 8| to the bubbler or fountain GI andautomatically limits the pressure, so that the water is discharged atthe proper height from the bubbler GI regardless of the amount of turnof the handle 80a and regardless of the pressure in pipe 55. By movingthe operating handle I8 of the mixing valve 'I'I to the proper position,any desired temperature of water within reasonable limits may beobtained.

The arrangement is, therefore, such that the refrigerant flows inparallel through the evaporators G1 and 68. The relatively coldevaporator 61 inside the cold storage tank or reservoir 63 cools theliquid in the tank where it remains in readiness to supplement orsubstitute the refrigerating action imposed upon a fluid by theevaporator 68.

In either modification the warmer water reservoir may be an uncooledby-pass around the colder water reservoir so that the branch 83 candischarge directly into the pipe 52 without passing through reservoir 24and the pipe 02 can'discharge directly into pipe IS without passingthrough reservoir 54.

Thus in Fig. 3 there is shown a water' cooler in which the warmer waterreservoir is not used or has been omitted, and in which the uncooledby-pass is provided around the cooled water reservoir. In thismodification a compressor I00 forwards compressed refrigerant to acondenser IOI which in turn discharges into the liquid rjefrigerantreservoir I02. flows through the line I03 to the refrigerant evaporatorI04 through the fixture I05. The evaporated refrigerant returns throughthe fixture I05 into the line I01 and back to the compressor I00. Thetemperature of the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator I04 ismaintained at a substantially constant temperature by any suit-. ablemeans, such as an expansible bellows I08 connectedto the line I01 andcontrolling a snap switch I09, which in turn controls the starting andstopping of the motor IIO which drives the compressor I00. Theevaporator I04 may be of the type now recognized in the art, an exampleof which ismore fully disclosed in the patent to R...

G. Osborn 1,556,708, patented October 13, 1925. The water cooler isprovided with a source of drinking water I I I, which may be connectedto the city water supply or any other source of drinking water,preferably under pressure. A portion of the water coming from the supplyI I I is introduced into the drinking water reservoir H2 and isdischarged therefrom through the conduit I I3. Means are provided forby-passing another portion of the water coming from the water supplyIII, and to this end a conduit III is connected to the pipe III andjoins the conduit II3 through the medium of a mixing valve I I I5, whichmixing valve may be adjusted to varyv the ratio of water flowingthroughthe conduits H3 and- H4. From. the mixing valve II5, the water isdischarged through the bubbler III through the medium of a combinedfloat control and pressure control valve I I! which maintains a constantdischarge pressure at the bubbler H6, and which can shut oil and turn onthe flow of liquid to the bubbler ll6 by the operation of a handle IIS.Devices of the character disclosed at H5 and III are now well-knowninthe art, and need not be described further. By the embodiment shown inthis figure, a person may vary Liquid refrigerant than thereaftermanipulating the handle ill to start.

the flow of water through the device Hi.

By means of the invention disclosed herein it is possible for a' personto obtain almost instantaneously drinking water of the desiredtemperature ,without waiting for a large quantity of water to be cooledor tempered for his own particular purpose. As soon as a small quantityof water has been discharged, so thatthe standing water in the conduitsIII and II has been discharged it is possible for such a person toobtain the desired drinking water temperature within the range of thetemperature within the reservoir III and in the water supp y Ill.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred term, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a drinking water cooler, the combination of a unitary drinkingwater discharge device and means for securing the discharge of water atvarious desired temperatures from the discharge device including asource of drinking water, means of a substantially constant temperaturefor cooling a portion of the water, means for mixing in variable ratiosthe cooled portion with another portion of water from said source 'ofdrinking water and discharging said mixed portions from the dischargedevice.

2. In a drinking water cooler: a source of drinking water, a reservoirreceiving drinking water from said source, means of -a substantiallyconstant temperature for cooling the water within the reservoir, adrinking water discharge device, means for by-passing a "portion ofwater from said source around said reservoir without subjecting it tothe cooling action of said reservoir, and means for mixing anddischarging in one stream in variable ratios the water from thereservoir and the by-passed portion to secure a desired temperature.

3. In a drinking water cooler, a cabinet, a drinking water dischargedevice connected to the cabinet, and means for securing the discharge ofwater at any desired temperature from the discharge device including asource of drinking water, means within the cabinet for automaticallycooling a portion of the water supplied, controllable means for mixingin variable ratios the cooled portion and another portion of the waterfrom said source, and means for conducting the mixed water to thedischarge device.

4. In a drinking water cooler, a bubbler, means for connecting saidbubbler toa source of drinking water under pressure, nieansi'or coolingat least a portion of the water, meansfor mixingthe cooled water withwarmer water from said source and discharging the mixture from thebubbler in I one stream, and unitary manual control means for varyingthe ratio of the cooled water and the warmer water.

5. 'In a drinking water cooler, a pair of water reservoirs connected toa source of water supply,

means for cooling the water in one of the reservoirs to one temperature,means for maintaining the water in the second reservoir at a secondtemperature, and meansfor mixing and discharging waterin one stream fromsaid'reservoirs.

ing the water in the second reservoir at a second temperature, means formixing and discharging W8,t1' from said 58170118 in one stream and meansfor varying the ratio of waterdischarged from said reservoirs.

7. In a drinking water cooler, a pair of water reservoirs having meansfor connecting to a source of water supply, means for cooling thewaterin one of the reservoirs to one temperature, means for maintainingthe water in the second reservoir at a second temperature, means formixing and discharging water irom said res-'- ervoirs in one stream andmeans for varying the temperature of the discharged water.

8. A drinking water cooler including a water discharge device, arefrigerating system, a source of water, means for thermally contactingwater from said source with said-system to cool the water, andmeansindependent of said refrigerating system for varying thetemperature of the water discharged from said device.

9. A drinking water cooler, including a water discharge device, arefrigerating system, an automatic temperature control for said system,a'

source of water, means for thermally contacting water from said-sourcewith said system to cool the water, and means for varying thetemperature of the water discharged from said device independently ofthecontrol of the refrigerating system.

10. In a drinking water cooler, a bubbler, means for connecting to asource of drinking water, means for cooling at least a portion of thewater, means for mixing the cooled water with warmer water anddischarging the mixture from the bubbler in one stream, control.meansfor varying the ratio of the cooled water and the warmer; waterdischarged from said bubbler, means for controlling the discharge ofwater from said.bubbler and means for automatically limiting thepressure of the water discharged-at said bubbler regardless of thepressure of the source of the drinking water.

11. In a refrigeratingsystem, a cold storage tank containing a cooledliquid, a refrigerating evaporator positioned inside the tank, arefrigerating evaporator positioned outside said tank and cooling amedium, the two evaporators being. connected in parallel, means forcirculating a refrl'gerant through either one of said evaporators,

and means 10! conveying cooled liquid to aid in cooling said medium;

12. In combination, a relatively refrigmeans in: circulating said cooledliquid in thermal contact with said medium; 13. In a refrigeratingsystem, a cold storage evaporator, a tank containing cooled liquid, and

tank, a refrigerating evaporator positioned inside the tank arefrigerating evaporator positioned outside said tank, the twoevaporators. being con nected inparallel, me'ansfor circulating arefrigerant alternatively through either one ofsaid I,

- evaporators, and means for utilizing cooled liquid from said tankoutside said tank in thermal exchange with fluid cooled by said coilpositioned outside said tank. v e

14.-In combination, means for circulating a flowing-fluid from a sourceto a place of use, a plurality of evaporators in parallel refrigerantflow relationship, means for automatically circulating refrigerant atdifferent temperatures and at different times in said evap'orators, oneof said evaporators being in thermal contact with said flowing fluid, atank, the other of said evaporators-being in thermal exchangerelationship with said tank, and means for flowing liquid from said tankinto contact with said flowing fluid to vary the temperature of saidfluid.

ROBERT R. cANDoR.

